Label or card holder



G. J. WARD. LABEL O-R OARD HOLDER.

No. 505,997. Patented Oct. 3,1893.

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'GEORGE J. WARD, OF ST. CLAIR, MICHIGAN.

LABEL OR CARD HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 505,997, dated October3, 1893.

Application filed October 27, 1892- Serial No. 450,167. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE J. WARD, acitizen of the United States,residing at St. Clair, in the county of St. Clair and State of Michigan,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Label or CardHolders; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has relation to improvements in devices for holding labels,cards, and the like, and it has for its general object to provide aholder of a cheap, simple, and durable construction, adapted to securelyhold a number of labels or cards in a compact bundle and in such amanner that the printing or inscription upon the labels or cards, willalways be in plain view.

A further object of the invention is to provide a holder of suchconstruction that the top or uppermost label or card will be caused toproject beyond the free end of the card below it, and so on, whereby thefree end of the top label may be readily separated from the others, andmay be grasped and withdrawn from the holder without disturbing ordisplacing the other labels orcards.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a holder embodyingsuch a construction that a person desiring to withdraw a label mayremove the pressure on such label with the same hand that is employed towithdraw it, so that the label may be easily withdrawn from the holderwithout disturbing the remaining labels.

The invention will be understood from the following description andclaim when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which--Figure l, is a perspective view of my improved device; the labels orcards being removed therefrom. Fig. 2, is a vertical longitudinalsection of the same, with the labels or cards in position, and Fig. 3,is an inverted plan view of the spring for pressing the pivotedsupporting plate against the keeper bar.

Referring by letter to said drawings: A, indicates the box or casing ofmy improved device which is preferably of a general rectangular form, asshown, and comprises the side walls a, the bottom wall I), and the rearwall 0, which rear wall is inclined forwardly and upwardly, as shown fora purpose presently described.

For the sake of cheapness in the manufacture ofmy improved device, Idesign having the bottom wall I), extend but a slight distance inadvance of the rear wall a, as shown, butI do not desire to be confinedto such construction, as the said wall might, if desired, extend thefull length of the side walls.

B, indicates the supporting plate for the labels or cards, which ispreferably of the proportional length illustrated and has one of itsends pivotally connected to the box or casing A, so as to allow its freeend to move up and down for a purpose presently set forth. The pivotconnection of the plate B, to the box A, is preferably effected bymounting a transverse bar (1, in the box and forming the end of theplate into a barrel 6, to receive the bar d, as shown, but as is obvioussuch connection of the plate and box, may be effected in any ordinary orapproved manner, and I therefore do not desire to confine myself to theconstruction shown.

Mounted in the side walls a, of the box or casing, at a point adjacentto the forward ends and upper edges of the same, is a transverse keeperbar 0, between which and the plate, the labels or cards are securelyheld by reason of the spring M, pressing against the under side of theplate B. This spring M, which is connected to the bottom wall b, in anyapproved manner, is preferably bowed or curved as shown, so as to exerta strong upward pressure upon the plate B, and thereby securely hold thecards or labels between the said plate and the keeper bar, as bettershown in Fig. 2, of the drawings.

By the construction described it will be readily perceived that thelabels or cards will be securely held in a compact bundle, and in such amanner that the printed or inscribed face of the uppermost label orcard, will be fully exposed to View, which is very desirable; and byreason of the rear wall 0, being inclided or pitcned forwardly asdescribed, it will be seen that each label or card will extend fartherforward than the label or card below it, so that the end of theuppermost laroo bel or card may be readily separated from the others andmay be grasped between the thumb and forefinger and withdrawn withoutdisturbing ordisplacing the otherlabels or cards.

By reason of the spring M, being arranged below the plate B, or on theopposite side of said plate with respect to the keeper bar 0, it will beperceived that a person desiring to remove the top label from theholder, may grasp such label with the forefinger and thumb of one handand may with the other fingers of the same handpress the other labelsand the plate away from the keeper bar so as to remove the pressure andallow the desired label to be readily withdrawn Without disturbing theother labels.

When my improved device is employed for holding gurnmed labels whichhave atendency to curl, it will be seen that the said labels will beheld in such a manner that curling of the same will be effectuallyprevented.

Although I have described my improved device as especially adapted forholding labels, cards, or the like, it may be employed to advantage forholding envelopes, letter heads, and similar stationery.

In practice my improved device may be employed singly, as illustrated,or it may be mounted upon a suitable base, and employed in sets as ismost desirable.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- In a device for holdinglabels, cards, and the like, the combination with a box or casing havingits rear wall inclined forwardly and upwardly'and having its upper sideand forward end open, and a fixed keeper bararranged transversely insaid box adjacent to the upper edges of the side walls thereof; of aplate pivotally connected at one end to the box or casing at a pointadjacent to the rear end thereof and in a plane below the plane of thekeeper bar, and extending beneath and beyond the said keeper bar, and aspring connected at one end to the bottom of the box or casing andbearing at its upper end against the pivoted plate so as to press thesame against the keeper bar, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE J. WARD.

Witnesses:

ALFRED A. 1VIORSE, CHARLES E. Some.

